Automatically-operated railway-switch.



m mw d". 2 .L p a S d .B t n e t a P Sw m B B .U nn 4 2 2.1 3 8 6A w NAUTUMATICALLY UPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Applicatin led Oct. 29, 1900.:

V2 Sheets-Sheet I (No Model.)

l. ROBBINS.

UTOMATICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application med ope. sa, 1900.)

- no. 683,224. Pafentedsept. 24', Ism.

(No Model.)

lIS

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

IRA ROBBINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, P ENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOIVIATICALLY-OPERATED RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,224, datedSeptember 24, 1901. Application led October 29, 1900. Serial No. 34,750.(No model.)

specification.

My invention relates to an automaticallyoperated railway-switch; and itconsists of means whereby certain mechanism may be set by electricaction to cause the motion of a primary device due to the wheel of a carbearing against the same.

It further consists of the novel means whereby the switch-piece may bethrown into opening and closing positions, due to the action of theprimary device.

It further consists of details of construc-4 tion, as will behereinafter described.

Figure l represents a partial side elevation and partial verticalsection of an autom atical 'railway switch embodying my invention. Fig.2 represents a top or plan View thereof. Fig. 3 represents a perspectiveView of a portion thereof on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 represents atransverse Vertical section on line v x, Fig. 2.

Y Fig. 5 represents an end view thereof. Fig. 6 represents a perspectiveView of a detached portion. Fig. -7 represents a plan view of a detachedportion. Figs. 8 andf 9 represent plan views of separate portions: ofthe switch-shifting mechanism. Figs. lO

and Y1l represent plan views of said mechanism, the parts thereof beingshown in dierent positions in the two figures. Fig. 12 represents alongitudinal section of a portion of the switch-shifting mechanism on anenlarged scale.

Similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the gures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates an -electric magnet, and B anarmature therefor.

To the free end of said armature is connected the fork or forked arm C,which freely engages the'headD, which is rotatably mountedon the limb Eof the lever F, the latter being mounted on the box or casing Gr, whichcontains the aforesaid parts. The head D has a longitudinally-extendingtongue H, which is freely embraced by the fork C and having on its sidean inclined shoulder J,

which is adapted to have said head D bear downwardly against the same,it being noticed that the axis D' of said head is vertical and that F ofthe lever F is horizontal. ing from the head is the foot K, which isadapted to enter the opening L vin the lever F, its normal positionbeing outside of said opening. y

M designates a vertically-arranged pin or plunger which passes freelythrough the top of the casing G and freely enters the lever F, as mostclearly shown in Fig. 1, it being adapted to bear downwardly on the footK when thelatter occupies the `opening L and to be elevated toits normalposition by the action of the spring N, which is suitably connected withsaid pin and a fixed point. (See Fig. l.) The end of the lever oppositeto the head D has thereon a toothed segment P, which meshes with thepinion Q, the latter carrying the segment QI', which engages with therack R, which is attached to the rod S, said rack R being guided in thewall A of the casing A and provided with rollers S', which are adaptedto ride upon the track S2 Extend-- on ythe top of said casing A, wherebysaid rack is caused to move true and with great freedom. Bearing againstthe wall A and connected with the ,rod S is the spring T, VWhosetendency is to peturn said rod andconnected parts to their normalposition. The end of the rod SV opposite to the rack Renters the tubularslide U, which is mounted in the casing V and contains the spring S3,which bears against a shoulder or collar S4 on said rod and the end ofsaid slide, whereby when the rodl is moved and the spring is compressed,acting as a cushion, motion is imparted to said slide without abruptnessor strain. Projecting from said slide is an ear U', on which is pivotedthe double-ended dog W, which occupies a position in a recess W" of theslide X, which is also fitted in said casing V and adapted to have amotion at a right angle to the slide U. The end walls of said recessconverge, as at a a b b', and the ends of the dog W are adapted to bearagainst andride over said walls,as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained. Connected with. the slide X is the link Y, which is attachedto the switch-piece Z. Within the casing V is the stud V', on which theopposite sides of IOO one end of the dog W are adapted to ride, as willbe hereinafter Vmore fully referredv to. ln order to guide the armatureB, the same is provided with a depending limb B, the same entering thesleeve B?, which rises from the base of the casing G and contains thespring B3, which bears against said stem B for restoring the armature toits normal position, and with it the fork C, it being noticed that thereturn motion of the lever F is accomplished by the action of the springT of the rod S, and as said lever moves it raises the head D of the footK, causing said head to bear against the fork C and also said foot toemerge from the openingL in the lever F, thus restoring it to its normalposition, removed from the path of the plunger M, as shown in Fig. 3. Y

The operation is as follows: When the armature is attracted, it descendsand carries with it the fork C, and the latter bears against theinclined shoulder J of the foot K, whereby the latter is advanced intothe opening L and placed beneath the plunger M, it being noticed that inFigs. l and 5 said plunger projects above the casing G, so as to be inthe path of the advancing wheels of the car or train, so that the weightof the latter may be superimposed upon said plunger, thus depressing thelever F and causing the rotation of the pinion Q and toothed segment Q',

the rod S, and consequentlythe slide U. As the dog W is in the positionshown in Fig.

rides against the stud V and bears against the member of the divergentends b, of the recess W of the slide X, and consequently moves thelatter in the directionof arrow Z, moving the switch with it to. theposition shown in said gure. Vhen the plunger M is relieved of Weight,the spring T becomes operative and causes the return of the slide dog W,and as the. end of said dog opposite to the stud Y rides on the memberof the divergent end uv of the slide X said dog is defliected and placedin the position shown in Fig. 9, the. switch Z, however, remainingundisturbed.v Simultaneously with the return of the slide U the. rack Rcauses the operation of the segment Q?, pinion Q, and segment P, wherebythe lever F returns to its iirst position, in themeanwhile cut o fromthe magnet. This causes the foot K to be withdrawn from the opening L,removed from the path of the plunger M, whereby as the other car ispassed over said plunger it may depress the same without operating saidfoot or said lever F, whereby the switch-piece Z remains unaffected.Should it be desired to change the switch, the magnet A is againcharged, whereby the operations hereinbefore'described are repeated, butas the dog `W advances its nose rides against the stud V on the sideopposite to that shown in Fig.

v 8, as now apparent in Fig. l0, and, contacting with the adjacentmembers of the divergent end b, bears against the slide X and returns itto the position shown in said Fig. 10, and thus drawing with it the linkY and switchpiece Z, placing the latter in the position shown in saidFig. 10. Then the magnet is again relieved of its current, causing there moval of the foot K from beneath the plunger M, whereby theintermediate parts are also placed,and the switch-piece will remain inthe position in which it was last set. Vhere the switch is designed forelectrically-operated street-cars, an insulated rail, such as A2, Fig.'7, is placed along the rails of the track in such manner as to have awheel of a car contact therewith, thus forming an electric circuitthrough the trolley or other electric mechanism, the car being equippedwith a suitable electric switch, so as to throw on and take off thecurrent, said switch being Controlled or operated by the motorman orother carhand, whereby when the switchpiece Z is to be shifted thecurrent is turned on from the car, whereby the armature is attracted,and the subsequent operations will may control the circuit with the sameresults y as in the other case. which, meshing with the rack R, advancesg Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-. 8 and is carried forward by said slide it1 1. In a railway-switch, a magnet, an armaj` ture there-for, a headadapted to be engaged by said armature, a foot connected with said head,a lever by which said foot is carried, said head being pivotally mountedon said lever, and a plunger along the line of a railroad adapted to bedepressed by a passing car, whereby when the magnet is energizedy saidlever will be opera-ted. U to its first position, carrying with it the i2. In a railway-switch, a plunger, a lever,`

E a foot mounted on said lever and adapted to be engaged by saidplunger, whereby said.l lever may be operated, a head on said foot, andan armature adapted to engage with saidI head, said head being pivotallymountedI on said lever and provided with a tongue whichI is adapted tobe engaged with a member of said armature, said member-'and head havinginclined contacting faces.

3. In a railway-switch, an armature, a le ver, and a foot mounted onsaidlever, saidz foot being providedi with a heady having inclin edfaces and said armature being adaptedi to engage with said faces,whereby said foot is rotated and caused to enter said lever, incombination with a plunger which is adapted to be operated by a passingtrain and engaged with said foot, thus depressing said lever and causingthe operation of a connection 0f the switch-shifting mechanism.

4. In a railway-switch, a lever adapted to be operated by a passingtrain, a connection with a switch-shifting mechanism, and gear- IOC ingintermediate of said lever and connection, a track and a friction-rolleron said connection adapted to run on said track, a lever having openingstherein at an angle to each other, a foot adapted to enter one of saidopenings, and a plunger Opening.

5. In a railway-switch, alever, a foot adapted to intersect the same, aplunger adapted to be advanced by a passing car and engage said foot andthus operate said lever, in combination With electrically-actuated meansfor causing the movement of said foot, said foot being mounted on saidlever and adapted to 'enter an opening therein.-

6. In a railway-switch, a member adapted to be operated by a passingcar, a lever provided with a movable attachment, and means forelectrically operating said attachment, whereby it may be placed in thepath of said member and said lever accordingly operated, said leverhaving a toothed member, a pinion with which said lever engages, atoothed member connected with said pinion, a rack meshing with thesecond-named toothed member, a rod connected With said rack, andswitch-moving mechanism attached to said head.`

adapted to enter the other 7 In a railway-switch, alongitudinally-extending slide, an ear connected with said slide and theprimary mechanism of the switch, a dog mounted on said slide, anauxiliary slide, With which said dog may engage in opposite directions,and a fixed abutment on the opposite sides of which said dog may ride,the first-named slide being tubular and containving a compressiblecushion, whereby when said cushion is actuated, the rst named slidereceives motion and with it said ear.

8. In a railway-switch, a tubular slide, a cushion therein, an earmounted on said slide and connected with the primary mechanism of theswitch, a double-acting dog mounted on said slide, atransversely-movable slide,

,said dog being adapted to engage With oppo IRA ROBBINS Witnesses JOHNA. WEIDERSHEIM, C. D. MCVAY.

